Perhaps the World Ends Here
by theparthenon
Summary: Sequel to Tale as Old as Time. After the events of Gotham, Audrey and Barsad try to piece their lives back together. But someone, or something, is out to destroy everything they've been working so hard for.
1. One

**Disclaimer: I do not own and am not, in any way, affiliated with the Dark Knight franchise.**

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" _She was struggling, as she always had struggled, not to hide what she could do but to hide what she couldn't do."_

― _Bernhard Schlink,_ _The Reader_

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Chapter One

A loud thump echoed through the concrete walled training room as Audrey fell backward onto the mat. She lay there, sweaty and out of breath, and tried to figure out exactly where she had just gone wrong.

"Again!" Barsad called from somewhere outside of her line of vision. _No, not again, you slave driver._ Her entire being was a symphony of aches that culminated themselves into a pathetic groan.

"Can we take a five-minute break first?"

"Get up, Audrey." There was no sympathy in his tone. In fact, she thought she might have detected a hint of annoyance. That was fine, she was pretty annoyed herself.

A figure appeared in front of her, hands on hips, studying her with interest. "Come on," the woman said, extending her hand. Audrey grasped it and stood, trying to ignore her body's protests. "Really, Barsad, maybe we should give it a rest for the day. I mean, look at the poor thing." The woman's voice was all plummy accent and there was a barbed quality in her sympathetic tone that made Audrey grit her teeth.

It was a tactic that Tara often employed to get under Audrey's skin. Unfortunately, it almost always worked and this time was no exception. "I just need five minutes."

Barsad rolled his eyes. "Fine."

Audrey stalked to the side of the room where her bag was. She snatched her water bottle out of it and took a long drink. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Barsad lean against the wall next to her, arms crossed in front of his chest. "You know, it wouldn't kill you to ease up on me just a little." Her voice was low to prevent anyone from overhearing as the training room was exceptionally crowded that afternoon.

"Just like it wouldn't kill you to pay attention to what Tara's doing. She's managed to get you with that leg sweep three bloody times today."

"Oh, sorry. Am I _embarrassing_ you?" she snapped. Barsad's face darkened, a muscle twitching in his clenched jaw. She knew she had gone too far, but couldn't help the smug smile the feeling elicited. He did not take his burning gaze off of her as he bellowed, "Break's over. Again!"

It was another hour, and several more fails on Audrey's part, before a disgusted Barsad declared the practice over.

Tara dropped in a sitting position on the mat beside where Audrey was laying and gave her shoulder a gentle pat. "Cheer up! That was an improvement over the last time," she offered, much more pleasant now that they were done. "Your offense is good, it's your defense that needs a bit more building up. And you've got to stop letting me bait you like that. I can tell when you're focusing on that, your concentration is rubbish. You've got to get out of your head."

Lithe and perpetually tanned with dark hair and light brown eyes, Tara was as beautiful as she was lethal. She had agreed to help Audrey twice a week with her defensive physical combat training. This had been the compromise between Audrey and Barsad after she had put her foot down on learning how to shoot. Tara had initially taken the task on as a favor to Barsad but had, for some inexplicable reason, taken a liking to Audrey.

Audrey sighed, her gaze following Barsad as he spoke at length to someone she didn't recognize and then left the room without once looking back at her. A knot was forming in the pit of her stomach. "Get my head in the game. Got it."

"Come on," Tara said, prodding her. "I've got a protein bar in my bag for you and then you can be on your way. You might do yourself a favor and have a soak tonight." Audrey rolled over and pushed herself up, wincing as she did so. "I'd recommend Epsom salts."

They parted ways on the main floor of the compound with Tara reminding her that next week they would be working on the punching bag; a welcome respite from grappling.

Barsad would, she knew, be waiting in their bedroom. It was technically hers, but he rarely spent time anywhere else. The chances that he was still fuming from earlier were highly likely and she wasn't sure she was ready to deal with that yet. Instead of trudging up the steps to the hallway of rooms, she decided to wander around.

The compound was fairly unfamiliar to her and exploring had become one of the easiest ways for her to calm down. She liked the hustle and bustle in the halls; there was anonymity in the constant flux of coming and going. People never bothered to talk much. Like Barsad, they were mostly the strong, silent, murdering type.

 _Barsad, Barsad, Barsad_.

Everything seemed to circle back to him.

Since moving in, several weeks ago, things between them had grown increasingly tense. Back in his element, and surrounded by his peers, he had reverted to the Barsad of old: distant and ready to bark orders. Even in private he was less of his charming, teasing self. Last week she'd decided enough was enough and it had escalated into one of the nastiest arguments they'd ever had. At first, she had managed to be rational, trying to coax whatever was bothering him out. It had ended with her shouting that he was obviously ashamed of her and suggested that maybe he would be better off sleeping in his own room.

He had.

They had made up the next day, but that initial fight had served as a catalyst, setting off a series of smaller ones, and Audrey found she was gradually losing patience with him and his attitude.

She stopped walking when she reached a set of sliding glass doors. Outside was a courtyard with tables and chairs set up amongst a beautifully kept garden. It was also devoid of people. _Perfect_. She dropped her gym bag on the ground and curled up in one of the chairs before taking her book out of one of the pockets. One of the perks of being in such a colossal place was that it also boasted a huge library that rarely saw any action. With one hand, she yanked out her elastic band and shook her hair loose, turning her face up so the sun could warm it before she began the process of losing herself in _Macbeth_. She had been on a Shakespeare kick lately and had already gone through several of the tragedies as they were Barsad's favorites.

 _Stop thinking about him_.

"What a nerd!" a bubbly voice taunted, cutting through her concentration. Audrey's head snapped up and she saw Adam cutting across the enclosure with two cups of coffee. He deposited one in front of her and dropped into the chair across from her. The sun gleamed off of his blonde hair making him look almost angelic.

"Says the guy who carries two coffees with him at all times? Do you always assume you're going to run into secluded, coffee-less women or what?" She took a tentative sip. Warm and black, just how she liked it. "Thank you, by the way."

He leaned forward, flashing her a boyish grin. "At the risk of sounding like a creep- I saw you when I was in the kitchen. Anyway, what's up?"

After her meeting with Bane, Audrey had tracked Adam down and demanded to know who the hell he really was. He was employed by the League, had actually been returning from a mission, and the whole married business man front was simply that. Every so often she ran into him and he was one of the only people, aside from Tara, who seemed sincerely friendly.

Audrey shifted in her chair, drawing her feet out from under her, and grimacing as she did so. She cursed herself for sitting in one position so long. "Other than the fact that I feel like one gigantic, aching body part? Great."

"Tara kicked your ass again, I take it?"

"Royally. I feel bad- I spent so much time laying on the mat today I feel like I should buy it dinner or something."

Adam threw back his head, his laugh hearty and earnest. It was so ridiculous that Audrey couldn't help giggling a little herself and, like that, the last remnants of her bad mood dissipated. "I'm sure the mat would appreciate it. Hey, if you want help with that, I'm not, like, the best or anything, but I could give you some pointers."

"Are you serious? At this point, I'll take all the help I can get. I don't know if you've heard, but," she lowered her voice conspiratorially and leaned in for dramatic effect. "I'm awful."

This sent him into another gale of laughter. "Consider it done. Maybe in a couple of days, when you're not so sore-" His voice and eyes drifted off, looking behind her. Audrey turned in her chair to see Barsad standing in the doorway. _Hmph._ He nodded at them in greeting which Adam returned.

Her eyes met his and he moved his chin, inviting her inside.

She picked up her bag and stood, giving Adam an apologetic smile. "Thank you, again, for the coffee."

"Any time," he said, waving her away. When he smiled back it did not quite reach his eyes.

As soon as she passed the threshold, he closed the door and guided her into an empty corridor. She folded her arms and stared at him. "What do you want, Barsad?"

In lieu of, or perhaps as, an answer, he took her face between his hands and kissed her. One hand dropped to her waist, pulling her body to his. In spite of her best efforts to try to stay mad, she melted against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She ran a hand along the back of his neck, catching his short hair between her fingers and giving it a firm pull. The other, she dragged down his back, raking her fingernails along the fabric of his shirt.

It was the move that always sent him over the edge.

He swept away the curtain of hair around her neck, alternating between kissing and nipping at the smooth, soft skin there. Heat shot through her body, driving out any rational thoughts she might have been having. Her voice was low and urgent in his ear as she whispered his name. A guttural groan escaped his lips as he pushed her against the wall. His fingers sank deeper into the flesh of her hips before sliding expertly up her shirt.

They remembered themselves and where they were.

Slowly, Audrey opened her eyes. Barsad rested his forehead against hers, staring down at her. "I'm sorry." He wrapped a lock of her chestnut hair around one of his fingers and gave it a gentle tug, thumb caressing the line of her jaw. "Really. I was a total wanker earlier. And, for the last time, you daft cow, you're not an embarrassment. Well, to anyone but yourself, anyway."

She glared at him but gave his lips a quick peck. "Apology accepted." She laced her fingers with his, peeling herself off of the wall. "I've spent a lot of time figuring it out and I know how you can make it up to me," she proposed with an air of wickedness.

"Have you now?"

"Oh, yes. I think it may even be mutually beneficial. We've got _a lot_ to work through. Could take hours."

He cleared his throat. "Sounds like hard, dirty work but I think I can comply with your terms." There was the Barsad she knew and loved. She turned away, smirking, and led him back into the main hall. They made it to the staircase before he asked, "So, what did _Adam_ have to say?" The dismissive way he used the other man's name caused her to roll her eyes heavenward.

"Mmm. You know, Shakespeare had something to say about that. I believe it was 'beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.'"

He steered her into a room, just off of the stairwell, and closed the door behind him. In the center of the room was a table, which he lifted her onto mumbling, "I love it when you quote Shakespeare," before kissing her again.

This one was unhurried, almost punishingly so. Desire reared its head again, her body tingling with eagerness. She tried wrapping her legs around his middle only to have them pushed back down. Confused, she placed her hands on his chest, making a noise of protest when he wrapped his fingers around her wrists and held them firmly at her sides. She squirmed, wanting to touch him, to be closer. He broke away, the stubble on his chin brushing her cheek. "The more you fight it, the worse it'll be," he whispered in a husky voice. She whimpered.

This was his favorite game, and he was good at it.

His nose grazed her lower jaw as he planted a series of kisses along her throat before working his way around her face. By the time his lips found hers again, she was nearly vibrating with pent up anticipation.

When he drew back, he lowered his head a little, an eyebrow raised as if to say _Me? Jealous?_

Her voice, when she found it again, was thick. "The gentleman doth protest too much, methinks. But maybe you should show me one more time. Just in case."

He chuckled. "Greedy. And, for the record, I'm not _jealous_. I don't trust him, is all."

"Wow- you, not trusting somebody," she scoffed. "That's so hard to believe."

"I trust you," he said evenly.

"I trust you too. AndIloveyou." It came out fast and jumbled. That was not a phrase either of them used often and she was still not entirely comfortable saying it out loud.

He put a finger to his ear, head cocked. "Sorry, didn't catch that last bit. What was that?"

"Ugh," she whined, coloring slightly. "I. Love. You. Did you catch it that time?"

"Loud and clear." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you too. However, I do believe I have still have some atoning to do."

"Oh, you're going to have to work twice as hard now if you have any hope of ever getting back in my good graces."

They looked like a pair of guilty teenagers as they snuck back into the hall, racing to see who could get to their room first.

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 **A/N: Hello, everyone! Consider this a... teaser chapter of sorts. The story is well under way, but I wanted to give you guys your first taste at what's to come. I can't wait for you all to see what's in store for these two.**


	2. Two

**Disclaimer: I do not own and am not, in any way, affiliated with the Dark Knight franchise.**

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" _No matter how far you travel, you can never get away from yourself."  
_

 _― Haruki Murakami,_ _After the Quake_

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Chapter Two

The warm water and bubbles were the perfect combination to combat her sore muscles. Audrey sighed and leaned back, letting the steam rise around her. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Barsad, towel wrapped around his waist, trimming his beard over the sink. He caught sight of her in the mirror and winked at her.

"How would you feel about eating in tonight? I'll just run down and nick something from the kitchens."

"That sounds amazing," she murmured. "I'm wiped and I don't think falling asleep at the table is considered polite in… anywhere, actually. Picture it now: me, face first, on a pillow of mashed potatoes."

He shook with silent laughter. "I'd make sure to pick the gravy out of your hair before I put you to bed."

"I am not worthy. Oh!" she said brightly, remembering something she'd wanted to bring up earlier. "What do you think about going to Praia da Laginha this weekend? We keep saying we're going to go and-"

"Ah." He froze mid-way through wiping his face with a towel. "I can't. I'm sorry. I'm leaving the day after tomorrow."

"Oh?" she asked casually, turning her head so that she was looking at the ceiling again. "Where are you going? Or is this one of those things you're not allowed to talk about?"

"Audrey…"

Apparently she had not been as casual as she thought. _Damn._ She could see her toes through the bubbles on the other end and wiggled them slowly. "I'm not mad, I just- I hate not knowing where you're going. Plus, I don't understand all the need for secrecy. I'm sure this has something to do with the UN deal we've _all_ been working on. I don't think I need to remind you that I'm on the council too."

"It is and, no, you don't. I think you might've mentioned it." Still watching her in the glass, he began dabbing on aftershave. She caught a whiff of the spicy, woodsy scent, and felt the tug at her heartstrings. "I can't say more than that. Need to know basis only. We've talked about this." The firm yet exasperatedly delivered reminder made her feel all of five years old.

"Arjun's gone out with you on one of these _super-secret_ missions." She emphasized super-secret with finger quotes. _I am an adult_ , she told herself as she splashed her feet back under water and sank lower in the tub. "And now I sound like a clingy girlfriend. Cool."

"Arjun knows how to defend himself properly. If you'd learn to- never mind. It's not worth rowing about." Barsad sighed, but when he turned to look at her, his lips were quirked up in amusement. "Did you just call yourself my girlfriend?" he teased. "Does that make me your _boyfriend_?"

"I was using generic terminology, but," she sniffed in a dignified manner and turned her nose up, not even bothering to hide her red cheeks. "If that's what you choose to assume, so be it. Personally, I like to think of you as my live in admirer."

They both laughed and when they stopped, he was looking at her appreciatively. "You know what I wonder?"

"How you ended up with someone as witty, beautiful, smart, charming, and amazing as me? Did I mention smart and beautiful?"

"Actually, I think it was more so what goes on in that head of yours?"

She shrugged, causing the water around her to ripple. "It's a great mystery of our time. One I don't think they'll ever be able to solve, sadly."

"I don't doubt it. Are you going to be out soon?" He picked up her towel and held it out to her. "Or is your plan to sit there long enough to turn into a prune?"

"Why? Do you have something against prunes?" Audrey sat up and reached her hand out to take it from him. When he was close enough, she skimmed his wrist with wrinkled fingertips.

"Blimey!" he exclaimed, dropping the towel as he recoiled. "That's disgusting." Her laughter followed him out of the room.

"So you do have a weakness!" she called out triumphantly, stepping out of the tub and quickly drying off before slipping into an oversized shirt and pair of sleep shorts. The water drained slowly and she watched the whirlpool form at the drain. "Old people hands and wrinkly fruit."

When she walked into the bedroom, he was sitting up in bed, flipping through channels on the television. Unnoticed, she paused to admire him. His dark hair was short now, the result of being back at work full time, but his blue eyes were their usual sleepy selves. He was wearing basketball shorts and a plain black shirt. _I'll never get used to that. Basketball shorts. Who would have thought?_ The thought made her snicker, drawing his attention. "What's funny?"

"That you hate the elderly." She flopped next to him on the bed, crinkling her nose at the movie, something with a young Clint Eastwood, he was watching. "This movie sucks."

"I don't hate the elderly." He raised an eyebrow. "Do you even know what film this is?"

"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly?" she guessed. He looked at her with disbelief. "Uh… the Enforcer?"

"That's not even a Western! This is a Fistful of Dollars and it's classic."

Her head slanted to one side, dark hair to falling out of the pile on top of her head. "You know, I seem to recall an agreement… about dinner… in this room?"

He reached over to the side table, picked a laptop up from it, and tossed it in front of her. It landed on the cream colored comforter with a soft thump before he rolled over and out of the bed. "Fine. But you gen up on Clint Eastwood while I'm gone."

She stared at him blankly. "Sometimes I feel like I need a translator to understand you." He gave her a quick kiss and left the room.

As soon as the door was closed she switched the television off. _Sorry, Clint. Not today._ Her book lay in the middle of the bed, next to the laptop. She reached forward, hesitated, and drew the computer toward her. After it was powered on, she opened the browser and ran her hands over her face. _Do you really want to go down this road right now?_

"I am a glutton for punishment," she reminded herself and typed in Facebook. Although she was fairly sure that all internet usage was monitored, she didn't care. Barsad had said something about a VPN blocker, but all the fancy technology terminology went straight over her head. As long as she didn't explicitly state their location, she couldn't screw it up. What she was doing required no actual updating on her part anyway.

Taking a deep breath, she clicked on Beth's profile. Pictures and silly status updates immediately popped up on the page and Audrey felt the familiar pangs of sadness. In the time she'd been away from Gotham, she had checked the page countless times, eager for some insight into Beth's well-being. All she had managed to learn was that Beth was no longer with Blake and that, even in the pictures where she was surrounded by people, she no longer had the same carefree smile.

Audrey opened a new tab, wishing she had wine or a stiff drink to help her through this. When her inbox appeared, it was clear except for a 1 in the drafts section. She clicked on it and stared at the email she had been trying to compose.

 _Beth,_

That was all it said. Because this was her Sisyphean task, her boulder to roll up the hill. To say it was a struggle was an understatement. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard before typing out some nonsense apology which she promptly deleted. This went on for several minutes before the door creaked open and Barsad came in carrying two plates, a bottle of wine tucked under his arm. She could smell roasted potatoes and chicken, the garlicky fumes made her stomach growl.

She looked up at him, brown eyes full of unspoken gratitude. "Have I told you that you're a good man, Charlie Brown?"

"Once or twice." He started setting everything up on the table in the middle of the room. "Trying to write Beth again?"

The top of the case clicked as she closed it and joined him. "How can you tell?"

"Your entire body language changes." He sat down and poured a glass of red wine, pushing it toward her. She breathed it in before taking a sip. "How can _you_ , of all people, not know what to write?"

"I read. That doesn't automatically make me a word wizard." She waved her glass gently in the air. "I'm not good at feelings. Or apologies. Name three times I've apologized to you."

He touched a finger to his lips. "I can think of two."

"One of those doesn't count, that was out of desperation."

"Point taken. Though I'm gutted now that I know it was a sham."

Her shoulders came down from around her ears and she smiled. "I have excellent self-preservation skills."

" _That_ is up for debate." He took a drink from his own glass, leaning back and putting an arm around the couch, near her shoulder. "I was thinking-"

"Oh boy."

"Hear me out." He leaned forward and set the glass down. With his fingers laced together between his knees, he looked up at her. "What if you took Tara to the beach with you? Might be nice for you to have a friend."

"So you're setting me up on play dates now?"

He shook his head. "It's not like that. But you haven't talked much about Beth or anything since that first day you got here and, if I'm being blunt, I'm worried about you."

She took a long drink and considered this. Her first reaction was to blow up, anger swelling in her chest, but his eyes were full of concern, real concern, and she couldn't bring herself to be mad.

There was truth in what he was saying anyway. Audrey had thrown herself into her work with a ferocity she had not previously thought possible in order to distract herself from thinking about Gotham. This included volunteering for things that did not specifically pertain to her line of work. Even when Barsad directly asked her about it, she avoided the subject as much as she could. Her letter to Beth was the only exception. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"I'll invite Tara out. She's really nice and maybe you're right. Maybe if I talk to her, or whatever, it'll clear my head."

He took her face between his hands and kissed her. The sudden motion sloshed her wine around dangerously close to tipping point, but she relaxed into it anyway. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Can I eat now?"

"Unbelievable."

A small smile touched her lips as she picked up her fork again. "What? This crazy guy I'm working with has me on a very strict training regimen. I'm hungry all the time!"

"He sounds like a right prat."

"He is," she agreed emphatically. "Total wanker."

Barsad, who had been eating, made a strangled sound and coughed. "That accent is _rubbish_ ," he said when his throat was clear.

"Your accent is _rubbish_ ," she mimicked, tossing a potato at him.

They ate in companionable silence. When they were finished, Audrey turned to lay sideways, putting her feet in Barsad's lap. He started rubbing one foot and she stretched out like a cat in a patch of sunshine. "I ran into your mate, Adam," he said at length. "You never did tell me what you two were chin wagging about earlier."

 _Peanut butter and jealous, eh?_ The temptation to tease him about it was strong, but she fought it. She sat up a little bit to look at him. "He's not my mate. I think he feels bad for me. Who can blame him? I feel bad for me. He offered to help me with some training on the side. It's not a big deal."

"Right," he agreed, still massaging her foot with one hand while picking up his wine glass with the other. He drained it. "Just… be on your guard when you're around him."

"I'm still not sure why you don't trust him. Bane clearly does if he's sending him on missions and stuff. Worried that you're going to be replaced as the golden child?"

"Hmph. Not bloody likely." He switched feet. "Might be a bit paranoid, but something about him seems off."

"Is it… because he's friendly? You don't like friendly people." The pressure on her foot lightened and she knew she was veering into dangerous territory, but she could resist the urge to mock him no longer. "Or… because he's American? You don't like yanks either. Or- uhm- goddamnit!" She giggled as long fingers tickled her sole. She squirmed, trying to get away, but his grip was firm. "I surrender!" she cried, moving forward to wrestle his hands away from her. She managed to extract herself and ran for the bed. Barsad gave chase but just missed her as she dove under the covers and tucked them around her legs for safety. She threw one of the throw pillows at him, which he batted away.

"Are you quite done?"

"Are _you_?"

"Truce?"

Her eyes narrowed and then she patted the spot next to her. "Truce. But if there's any funny business, you're on the couch."

After he was settled in, she scooted closer to him. He wrapped an arm around her and she snuggled into his chest. She wished he didn't have to leave again, but didn't have the courage to say it out loud. Sensing this, he reached out and picked up _Macbeth_. "Where were we?"

"I read ahead," she confessed. "But I think I remember." A thumb ran along the length of her neck, rubbing behind her ear. _It's the little things_. "Ah! Found it." She cleared her throat. "'Thunder. Enter the three Witches meeting Hecate. First Witch: Why, how now, Hecate! you look angerly.'"


	3. Three

**Disclaimer: I do not own and am not, in any way, affiliated with the Dark Knight franchise.**

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" _I've got headaches and bad luck, but they couldn't touch you, no."_

 _― Fall Out Boy, "Of All the Gin Joints in All the World"_

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Chapter Three

Sun shone through the windows, warming the room and showcasing the deep blue carpet. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted toward her and Audrey poured herself a cup as the door to the conference room opened. Adam poked his head in. "Want one?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Yes, please." He looked around. "Where's your boyfriend?"

"Barsad?" She gave a jerky shrug. "I lost the GPS tracker I put on him, but I'm sure he'll be here soon."

"Sore subject?"

Audrey sat down next to him, taking her designated spot at the long hardwood table and slid a mug over to him. She hadn't heard Barsad get up that morning, but it wasn't surprising that he had been gone before her. He usually was most mornings. "No, not really, but also none of your business."

"Message received," he said, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

She exhaled heavily through her nose before turning and offering an apologetic smile. "I'm not usually this much of an asshole in the morning, but I haven't had coffee yet, so…"

"It's cool. Just making sure everything was okay. Hey," Adam fidgeted with a sugar packet. "I've been meaning to ask- is that his last name?"

"Barsad? No," she snickered. "It's Hawkins. His Mom was on a Dickensian bender when he was born."

"Oh god." He laughed. "Is his middle name, like, Oliver or something?" Both Audrey's eyebrows raised over the cup, brown eyes sparkling. "No." She nodded excitedly.

The door opened again and more people filing in as they tried to compose themselves. Audrey called out cheerful greetings, happy to be surrounded by people. The committee met once every two weeks to go over whatever strategy was in the works. As of late, they were focusing on an alignment with the UN. Most of the time Audrey doodled on her notepad during these meetings, listening but rarely chiming in. She knew the basics: try to get back into the good graces of every person on planet Earth. So far it was coming along about as well as expected: not very. Even with Bane staying out of the limelight, the Security Council was incredibly hesitant, and rightfully so, about working with a once publicly declared terrorist organization. Even one that was willing to turn over a new leaf to try and do right.

Today, however, she had come prepared.

Someone was tampering with the supplies they were receiving. Arjun had gone to their supplier to discuss the matter and, with any luck, find the root of the problem. She hadn't heard from him, but he was expected back soon and she hoped he would bring good news with him.

She chewed the tip of her pen, pondering how best to explain the situation, when Bane marched in followed by Barsad. The idle chatter ceased as he sat at the head of the table. As usual, Barsad sat to his right. He offered Audrey a quick half-smile, acknowledging her presence.

Bane launched straight into it, "We've recently been in touch with…"

Determined to pay attention, Audrey straightened up in her chair. She wished Arjun was there; she was used to having someone to share snarky comments with. She also knew she wouldn't have been half as nervous.

A foot kicked the bottom of her chair, jolting her out of her thoughts. With a slight turn of the head, Audrey could see Adam miming a yawn. She pressed her lips together, trying not to smile. One hand dropped beneath the table so that only he could see and she flipped him the bird. He shook with silent laughter, but managed not to make a sound.

"I now open the floor to those of you who have new business to bring forward."

Audrey glanced at her notepad and raised her hand. _Here goes nothing_.

"Miss Campbell?"

She could feel everyone staring at her. "Yeah, yep," she mutter under her breath. As if sensing her distress, Barsad managed to catch her eye and winked. _You've got this_. "Medical's been having problems lately. Long story short, every shipment we're getting is damaged. Not all of it," she added quickly, looking at Bane. "But enough for us to suspect it is being done on purpose. Doctor Mahindra has gone to the supplier to check on the situation." She tapped on her notepad with the pen. "I'm not confident he's going to find anything while he's there."

"Why not?" The question came from the man who ran the shooting range. Audrey didn't know much about him except that he went by Dom and that he was scary with his arms full of tattoos, tendency to yell in Spanish, and permanent scowl. She was, however, prepared for his question.

"Gut feeling? I know that sounds stupid, but these suppliers are trustworthy or we wouldn't be buying from them in the first place. I'll have more to report back on when Doctor Mahindra returns."

"Other concerns?" Bane asked, looking around the table. Dom reluctantly raised his hand. Apparently, they were having a similar problem. So were the kitchen and training room managers.

After the meeting adjourned, Audrey found herself faced with the trio, who wanted to talk about the possibility of sabotage. She promised that they could discuss it over dinner when Arjun returned and that, in the meantime, she would give the problem serious thought.

When she finally slipped out of the conference room and into the quiet hallway, Barsad was waiting for her. "Well done, you."

"Thank you," she said, tossing her hair behind her shoulder. "I'm pretty proud of how that went. Maybe I should tell Arjun I'm taking over permanently?"

"And modest to boot. Heading over to the clinic? I'll walk you," he offered when she nodded.

"Not that I'm complaining, but shouldn't you be packing or something?"

They rounded a corner, heading toward a section near the very back of the compound. "I've decided I could skive off for a few minutes before somebody misses me. Dominic and those other blokes seemed pretty keen on what you had to say. Setting up a dinner was a smart move."

Audrey stopped and put a hand over her heart. "Did I hear that correctly? Did you just compliment me, out loud, in public?"

"Don't let it go to your head," he mumbled, going slightly red around the ears. "Though it's probably too late for that."

It was a rare moment to see him flustered like that. She bit her lower lip to stop herself from smirking. _No need to torture him further._ "So," she said, changing the subject and sparing him. "I think Dom actually smiled. Just a little bit, but it was there."

When they reached the medical bay, there was a gawky looking man standing outside, shifting from foot to foot. He ran a hand through his shaggy red hair and when he laid eyes on Audrey his expression changed from nervous to full dread.

"Poor lad looks like you've put the fear of God into him," Barsad commented in a quiet voice so he wouldn't be heard. A blonde stepped out of the room, presumably to say something to the red head judging by the way she was poised in a bossy manner, mouth open. She was plain looking, but the confidence she exuded made her eye catching. When she saw Barsad and Audrey she flashed a wide smile in their direction.

Clarissa and Grant were employees, her employees. They had both started just after Arjun had taken off Audrey's training wheels. Clarissa had a crush on Barsad, Audrey knew. She found it amusing mostly because it was harmless and it was fun to see Barsad squirm under the attention (which mean he acted more stoic than usual) but she was not in the mood for theatrics today.

She rolled her eyes. "Grant _always_ looks like that. He reminds me of…" she trailed off realizing she had been about to say Andy. The thought made her stomach turn. It must have shown on her face because Barsad gave her a concerned look. "Anyway, go be busy and important before Clarissa comes over here and starts talking to you." She flapped her hands at him dismissively. "I'll see you tonight, right?"

"Right," he confirmed. He lingered for another moment and Audrey wished she could kiss him. Instead, he placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze along with a knowing look. "Good luck."

"Thanks. I'm gonna need it," she mumbled and took off in the direction of her team.

Grant started before they entered the bay. "Miss Campbell- uh, sorry- Audrey, I mean, that shipment that was expected to arrive this morning is already late. I didn't want to bother you, because I knew you were at that meeting and since Doctor Mahindra wasn't here, I didn't know what to do…" He wrung his hands together, following Audrey through the winding rows of tables and fancy equipment until they reached what passed as her office, Clarissa following dutifully behind them.

"It's okay, Grant. They're almost always late. Just let me know when it comes in?" He nodded and set off, likely in the direction of the loading dock. "Clarissa, where are we at on those field packs?"

Clarissa tossed her hair behind one shoulder. "They're just waiting on a few more things to be delivered and we should be good to go."

"Good. I'll help you finish them when we get this shipment in and unpacked. Thank you," she added, slumping in her desk chair. "Everything okay this morning?"

"It's been quiet. Well, if you don't count Grant, like, torturing me to death with his complaining."

Audrey laughed a little and Clarissa joined in. "Find something to keep you busy until that shipments gets here. I've got paperwork to catch up on."

As she watched the younger woman walk away, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. _Twenty somethings. Ugh. Where in the hell did Bane find you?_ she wondered, as she usually did after talking with them.

Morning drifted slowly into the afternoon and Audrey lost herself in mindless administrative tasks. She was finishing up an accident report that should have been done last week, music playing softly in the background to keep her focused. This kind of thing had never been fun to begin with and she had to admit, at least to herself, that she was finding it more boring than usual lately. To the point where she was putting it off longer than she should. She was typing the last word when Grant poked his head in.

"Miss Campbell- uh, crap- Audrey?"

"Yeah?"

"The stuff's here?"

"Thanks. I'll be out in a sec to help." He disappeared again. A headache loomed in the back of her skull, weighing heavily on her neck and shoulders. Audrey leaned back and rolled her neck from side to side. Maybe she could talk Tara into getting a massage with her. Or Barsad into giving her one. Cheered by this thought, she pushed the music through to the speakers in the office and rallied herself into joining the unpacking party.

Grant and Clarissa were standing around one of the crates, heads together while they whisper argued with each other. She cleared her throat causing both of them to jump into each other. "Whatever could be so interesting, my minions?"

"I was saying we should open it, but," she heavily exaggerated the last word. "Grant said we should wait for you."

Audrey leaned over and picked up a crowbar that someone, most likely Grant, had left out. "Let's do the thing." She pried it open and they began digging through the shredded packing paper.

They worked carefully, Clarissa occasionally swaying her hips and head with the music. When "Despacito" came on, Audrey thought she saw Grant's eye twitch. She and Clarissa had come up with the playlist together and it had become their way of slowly torturing him.

Once everything had been pulled out of the first crate, Audrey began examining their haul while the other two opened another. "Son of a bitch!" she swore as she threw down several of the hemostatic dressing packs. Grant and Clarissa looked up at her, startled by the sudden outburst. "Did this box look open when they brought it in?"

Grant ran his hand through his hair again, eyes darting between Audrey and the container. "No? At least… I don't think it did?"

"We can't use _any_ of these." She swept over them with one hand. "At least not these ones. They've been compromised."

"Seriously?"

"Not all of them," Audrey sighed, picking through to find the ones that were still sealed. "Clarissa, take these and put them with the kits. Grant, leave that and go help her. I'll finish up here."

"It sounds like I've chosen a very inopportune moment to return," said a voice from the entrance, causing all three heads to swivel. Arjun stood there, travel bag slung over his shoulder. The wrinkles around his eyes were deeper than usual. _He looks tired._ She hoped it was from travel, not bad news. Something told her that wasn't the case.

"Hey, Doctor M!" Clarissa greeted cheerfully.

"Hello, Clarissa. Grant." He nodded at the younger man. Grant waved.

"Don't you two have something you should be doing…?"

"Oh, right!" Clarissa brightened. "Glad to have you back. Come on." She gathered the packs, shoved them into Grant's arms, and shepherded him out.

"For as much as the two of you are alike, I'm surprised you don't butt heads more often," Arjun mused when they were alone.

"I like her. And I think you came back at the perfect moment because you're the only one who's going to be able to talk me down from lighting all of this crap on fire and walking away. How was your trip?"

"Let's go discuss that in my office, shall we?"

Audrey groaned and followed him, closing the door when they were both inside. He motioned for her to take the seat across from him, but she was already doing so. The chair behind his desk creaked as sat in it.

"Give it to me straight, Doc. How bad is it?"

"I'd hate to say that it was a waste of the League's money, but whatever is going on with these deliveries, it's not the suppliers. They seemed just as baffled by the problem as we are."

Audrey groaned again, but was not totally surprised. Her head was pounding, but she tried to ignore it. "We're not the only ones. I brought it up at the meeting and it turns out that a couple other people are having the same issue. We're supposed to have dinner with them sometime this week." Silence ensued as they contemplated the problem. "I hate to be the one to say it," she began slowly. "But what if this is an inside thing?"

"Then we would be looking at a much bigger issue. I would be lying if I said I had not given that thought much consideration lately." He looked up at her and she was startled by how much older he appeared.

"Why don't you go and get some sleep? This will be here tomorrow. I think I'm going to send the minions out early today, if you don't have any objections. The evening team will be here soon and it's been pretty dead today. I'll wait for them."

"I'd like that. Maybe I should send you out next time. I'm getting too old for this, I'm afraid."

She snorted and stood up. "Good luck getting that past Barsad."

"He'll come around eventually. He can't keep you cooped up here forever. At any rate, I'm glad to be back."

"We're glad to have you back." She paused on her way out. "Get some sleep, Arjun. I'm serious. Nurse's orders."

"I will, my dear. Things will be easier tomorrow."

"I hope so," she replied. "I really, really hope so."

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you are all enjoying thus far! I do have a question, though: I am in dire need of someone to help me Beta this story. If you're interested, please send me a PM. Thank you!**


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